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The university said it is cutting its less sought after programs to “meet community and market needs and create long-term financial sustainability.”
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The uproar continues at Jacksonville University.
This, after the school announced last week a reduction of the majors it will offer.
Some faculty members have also been told they will not have their contracts renewed once they end in late June.
“I’ve done nothing but faithfully given yeoman service to that institution for 27 years, and then I’ve suddenly been kicked to the curb,” Dr. Erich Freiberger told First Coast News.
Freiberger is a tenured philosophy professor and the chair of the Philosophy Department at Jacksonville University. He learned last week he and 37 other faculty members will no longer have their jobs there come July.
Philosophy is one of about two dozen majors the school is slashing. Other majors getting the axe include music, theater, various art majors, the marine science oceanography track, and various business degrees.
According to JU, 18 students no longer have their majors being offered.
Matt Kane is the Chairman the Board of Trustees for JU. He said, “Those student were all music majors and specifically Bachelors of Fine Arts and Music. They’ve been offered plans to graduate with at Bachelor of Arts in Music and received scholarships to do so, full scholarships.”
Kane further told First Coast News the majors were cut based on “the size of enrollment in the majors and programs specifically. Low or under-enrolled programs certainly affect the size and the amount of money that JU can put towards each and every individual program to make sure that they’re financially viable now and in the future.”
However, Freiberger said his philosophy classes were often full.
“I’m actually making the university money because I’m servicing the core curriculum,” Freiberger said. “I’m not teaching classes with three people in them. I understand that the university had to make cuts, but the way they made there were crude and ham-fisted.”
The school says approximately 100 students will be affected by the cuts.
However, Freiberger says the number will be far greater because there will be fewer professors to teach the courses.
Freiberger believes the school has violated its own bylaws by not providing the faculty it is laying off the proper amount of notice that the rules call for. He said he and others were told they would no longer have jobs last week… with their contract ending in late June.
“They’re supposed to be notified on September 15th of the year prior,” Freiberger said. “You know when the were notified? Last week. April 16th or 15th. That gives them 10 weeks, not 10 months. That’s a definite and clear violation of the bylaws.”
According to a copy of the Jacksonville University Faculty Bylaws, it states: “For a full-time member who has more than one year of service at Jacksonville University, notice of a terminal contract shall be given no later than September 15 of the terminal year.”
First Coast News reached out to JU’s Communications Director Matthew Harris for comment. He responded, “Jacksonville University is in compliance with the Faculty and University Bylaws.”
On April 17th, the Faculty Assembly submitted to the Board of Trustees a resolution of censure and no confidence in JU President Tim Cost.
Regarding that, JU sent First Coast News these statements:
Statement from Board Chair Matt Kane
“The Jacksonville University Board of Trustees respects the faculty’s choice to express their opinions under the shared governance structure of our University. The Board of Trustees remains fully confident in President Cost’s strategic leadership and decision-making. The Board continues to work closely with the President and other senior leaders to ensure Jacksonville University’s long-term financial sustainability and future success.”
Statement from President Cost
“I respect the faculty’s role in our shared governance structure as defined by our University and faculty bylaws, and I appreciate that we have a structure that invites them to share their perspective. I’ve valued the honest and spirited dialogue with our faculty throughout my 12 years at Jacksonville University. While we may not always agree on every decision, I believe we share a deep commitment to Jacksonville University’s mission and to the success of our students. Together with the senior leadership team, we remain focused on the work ahead — strengthening our institution and advancing the strategic goals we’ve set together.”
The list below are the programs the university will no longer offer to new, incoming students beginning in the fall. The university said current students enrolled in the programs have a path to graduating from the university by being “taught out through a program that fully complies with our University accreditation.”
Brooks College
- Respiratory Care BS Completion major
- CSD Minor
- Play Therapy Certificate
Davis College
- Engineering Management major
- FinTech major
- Healthcare Administration major
- MBA Tracks in FinTech, Health Informatics, Healthcare Management and Portfolio Management
- Business Foundations Certificate
- Business Law Certificate
- Executive Thought Leadership Certificate
- FinTech Certificate
College of Arts & Sciences
- Education for Instruction Tracks in Community and ESOL
- Data Science major and minor
- Social Sciences major
- Marine Science Oceanography Track
Stein College
- Art History Concentration in Visual Arts
- Glass Concentration in Visual Arts
- Music major (Jazz & Commercial Music, Music Education, Music Technology, Music Therapy, Music Performance, Musical Theatre, and Music Composition)
- Philosophy major
- Theatre major and minor
- World Languages major and minor
- MFA in Visual Arts
For a look at programs JU will continue to offer, click here.
